Spotting Fake Travel Reviews

Have they lost trust in review sites or do they still form a crucial component of the booking process?

A new study looked at the way travel consumers interact with online reviews before making a purchase decision.

The findings suggest travel consumers are wising up to the prevalence of fake reviews online and getting better at how to spot them.

70% of those that used review sites as part of the booking process revealed they are prepared to read up to 20 reviews before choosing a property

85% considered a review authentic if there was comparable content online, while reviews that stood out as differing too greatly from others or came across as excessively positive were treated with suspicion.

Around 46% like to see pictures and videos, while 39% said they were most trusting of the most current reviews.

When confronted with a review that appears to be inauthentic, 35% don’t book and 18% tell their friends about the suspected trickery.